Glass-pot-handling apparatus.



PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

H. AIKEN.

GLASS POT HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 21, 1903.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

INVE TOR WITNESSES M a M Q n N. a 1 a m n u w m sv R z r z p m a n o u sn r PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

APPLIOATIOK FILED NOV. 21. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SKEET 2.

INVENTOR f/:7 AQv-u r/vyw m". i

, ITNESS UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE.

HENRY AIKEN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

GLASS -POT-HANDLING- APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1907.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY AIKEN, of Pittsburg, Allegheny county,Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Glass-Pot-HandlingApparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification, in Whiclr Figure 1 is a sectional sideelevation showing my improved apparatus in connection with a glass potfurnace and Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same partly broken away. Y

My invention relates to the handling of glass pots used in meltingglass.

In the making of rolled glass plates or sheets, the pots containingthebatch areplaced in a furnace chamber,

the chamber scaled up and the heat then applied to melt the batch. Thefurnace chamber is then opened and the pots removed and poured upon thetable or other plate-rolling apparatus:

My invention is designed to provide a simple and efficient crane systemfor handling the pots, which may also be used for carrying the batchesto the pots and for general use in the furnace room.

In the drawings I show an over-head crane having side columns 2 mountedon wheels 3 and supporting the top transverse crane bridge 4. Thewheeled trolley'fi moves upon rails 6, 6 on the crane and carries awinding drum 7 having a gear wheel 8 intermeshing with a pinion 9 on acountershaft 10 carrying at its other end a gear wheel 11 intermeshingwith a pinion 12 on the shaft of an electric motor 13. The vtrolley ismovpd along its track by a motor 14 mounted upon it and having slowmotion gear 15 leading to the shaft 16 carrying a pair of the supportingwheels. Both of the motors 1 3 and 14 are provided with magnetic brakesof the 0rd inary type, and the circuits for these motors are providedwith suitable controllers on both of the side supports 2,

as indicated at 17.

The crane is moved along its track by means of an electric motor 18having slOW motion gearing connection 7 l trolley wheels running uponoverhead conductors.

To manipulate the pots Isuspend from the hoisting drum of the, trolley aU-shaped charger 2 1. The trolley rope or chain carries a head 25provided with a swivelhook engaging a yoke or eye 26 on the upper leg ofthe charger. This charger is preferably framed up from structuralmaterial and provided with adjustable weights 27 on its upper leg,theyoke 26 being vertically over the lower forked lifter on the lowerleg 28 of the up by the head carried on the trolley and the overheadcrane is moved along-to the desired furnace. Tlre.pot is then engaged bythe fork at the front end of the lower leg 28 and the operator lifts thepot by bearingdown upon the handle. The trolley is then moved along thebridge of the crane to carry the pot into the furnace and the operatorthen lowers the pot and the trolley is moved to draw the chargerbackwardly. The pots may be drawn out from the furnaces in the samemanner, and may be moved along the line of furnaces and deposited 'atany desired point.

When the batch is being distributed the charger may be dropped at anyconvenient point and the overhead crane used in the ordinary manner forcarrying the materials to the pots and furnaces. "It will be noted thatthe U-shaped charger can be swung around so as to work on either side ofthe furnace or line of furnaces; and that it may be manipulated by theoperator standing at eitherside of the furnace, through the double setsof rheostats. 1

Many variations may be made in the form and arrangement of the crane,the detachable charger and the connections without departing from myinvention.

1 claim: 7 A

1. A glass pot furnace having charging openings on both sides. and anoverhead crane extending above the furnace and. to both sides thereof,and having a single rotatable charging device arranged to handle thepots on both sides of the furnace substantially as described.

2. A glass pot furnace having charging openings on both sides. and anoverhead crane extending above' the furnace and to both sides thereof.and having a singledetachable rotatable charging device arranged tohandle thefpots on both sides of the furnace; substantially asdescribed.

A glass pot furnace having charging openings on 0pposite sides thereof,an overhead crane having a bridge extending transversely over thefurnace to each side thereof and provided with a trolley movable toopposite sides of the furnace, and a U-shn-ped charging bar suspendedfrom the trolley and arranged to operate from either side of thefurnace; substantially as described.

4'. A glass pot furnace, an electric gauntr'ee crane arranged tostraddle the furnace,,a (I-shaped charging machine carried on tl1ebridge of thecr'ane, and electric controller's mounted on both sides thecrane and arranged to actuate the charger; substantially as described.

A glass pot furnace, an electric gauntr'ee crane having supportingcolumns on hoth sides of the furnace, a trolley on the crane bridgehaving a winding drum, 2. LT-shaped charger rotatably carried by thehoisting drum, electric HENRY AIKEN.

H. M. Conwnv,

